Washington (CNN) – She went from atheist to Catholic in just over 1,000 words.

Leah Libresco, who’d been a prominent atheist blogger for the religion website Patheos, announced on her blog this week that after years of debating many “smart Christians,” she has decided to become one herself, and that she has begun the process of converting to Catholicism.

Libresco, who had long blogged under the banner “Unequally Yoked: A geeky atheist picks fights with her Catholic boyfriend,” said that at the heart of her decision were questions of morality and how one finds a moral compass.

“I had one thing that I was most certain of, which is that morality is something we have a duty to,” Libresco told CNN in an interview this week, a small cross dangling from her neck. “And it is external from us. And when push came to shove, that is the belief I wouldn’t let go of. And that is something I can’t prove.”

According to a Patheos post she wrote on Monday, entitled “This is my last post for the Patheos Atheist Portal,” she began to see parts of Christianity and Catholicism that fit her moral system. Though she now identifies as a Catholic, Libresco questions certain aspects of Catholicism, including the church’s positions on homosexuality, contraception and some aspects of religious liberty.

“There was one religion that seemed like the most promising way to reach back to that living Truth,” Libresco wrote about Catholicism in her conversion announcement post, which has been shared over 18,000 times on Facebook. “I asked my friend what he suggests we do now, and we prayed the night office of the Liturgy of the Hours together.”

At the end of the post, Libresco announces that she is in a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults class and is preparing for baptism. She will continue to blog for Patheos, but under the banner, “A geeky convert picks fights in good faith.”

According to Dan Welch, director of marketing for Patheos, Libresco’s post has received around 150,000 page views so far.

“Leah's blog has gotten steadily more popular since she arrived at Patheos, but a typical post on her blog is probably closer to the range of 5,000 page views,” Welch wrote in an email. “Even now, a few days later, her blog is probably getting 20-30 times its normal traffic.”

Libresco’s announcement has left some atheists scratching their heads.

“I think atheists were surprised that she went with Catholicism, which seems like a very specific choice,” Hemant Mehta, an atheist blogger at Patheos, told CNN. “I have a hard time believing how someone could jump from I don’t believe in God to a very specific church and a very specific God.”

Mehta says that Libresco’s conversion is a “one-off thing” and not something that signals any trend in atheism. “The trends are very clear, the conversions from Catholicism to atheism are much more likely to happen than the other way around,” he said.

But while atheists were puzzled by the conversion, others commended Libresco.

“I know I’ve prayed for her conversion several times, always thinking she would make a great Catholic,” wrote Brandon Vogt, a Catholic blogger. “And with this news, it looks like that will happen. Today heaven is roaring with joy.”

Thomas L. McDonald, a Catholic Patheos blogger, welcomed Libresco to the fold: “Welcome. I know this was hard, and will continue to be so. Don’t worry if the Catholics make it as for difficult for you as the atheists. We only do it to people we love.”

Libresco says one of the most common questions she has received is how she'll deal with atheists now.

“The great thing about a lot of the atheist and skeptic community is that people talk more critically about ideas and want to see proof provided,” Libresco said. “That kind of analytical thinking is completely useful and the Catholic Church doesn’t need to and should not be afraid of because if you’ve got the facts on your side, you hope they win.”

soundoff(7,475 Responses)

why no stories about the hundreds of people who leave the church daily and proclaim they're atheist?

June 23, 2012 at 7:42 am |

Bob9892

Isn't obvious she made the jump for financial reasons? More than likely she will write a book in the coming years talking about finding God.

June 23, 2012 at 7:41 am |

jemzinthekop

Great so she chose her local religion. If she was an Indian blogger she would have become a Hindu, or a Malaysian blogger she would have become a Muslim, or a Chinese blogger she would have become a Taoist. Shocking how people see the light and covert to the same religion of their friends, family and school teachers. Show me an Iranian blogger that converts to Catholicism or someone from Mississippi that converts to Zoroastrianism then I may look at is a something minutely more than an anti-climax of someone picking what they know because they have no interest of actually seeking truth, but rather they want to follow the herd.

June 23, 2012 at 7:26 am |

Scott

.said the athiest who wants everyone else to be atheist too...

June 23, 2012 at 8:24 am |

jemzinthekop

No no, I am a secularist.... you guys are welcome to keep your slavery, I prefer a free world.

June 23, 2012 at 9:57 am |

foffe1

Of all the churches she could have joined, why pick a church which does not seem serious about getting rid of the pedophiles and those who cover it up.

June 23, 2012 at 7:16 am |

fwat

It's all because of her Catholic boyfriend. Nothing to see here, folks. Just a desperation move by her "biological clock".

June 23, 2012 at 7:21 am |

Judy

Because even if they were all murderers it'd still be Christ's Church guided by the Holy Spirit in his teaching. Christ said corrupt men would be apart of his church and to leave it to him to weed them out.

June 23, 2012 at 7:25 am |

Mike Petrik

This is what I love most about the skeptic community. A commitment to reason and rational discourse.

June 23, 2012 at 7:26 am |

perversion is a crime

At the heart of pedophilia is ho mo se xuality not the Catholic church. Ho mo se xuals deceived the church and crept into the church to ply their filthy trade on an innocent and unsuspecting peoples. Aids , death deception and filth the true fruits of ho mo se xuality.

June 23, 2012 at 7:30 am |

JWT

Perv – clueless as always – so sad to see.

June 23, 2012 at 7:45 am |

Ralph

The heart of pedofilia in the catholic church is that it has been covered up by the catholic church for hundreds of years. Every day there is a new report of uncovering discusting behavior based on the catholic church. if the pope was the ceo of a large daycare center and pedofilia came up, he would be in jail immmediately, why isn't the pope in jail for doing the same?

June 23, 2012 at 7:54 am |

Conor

So true it is not that Catholics are evil pedophiles it is the evil spirit of ho mo se xuality. You don't here people saying all coaches, boy scout leaders, teachers etc. are pedophiles. if you look at the pedophiles that are from the groups I metioned there is almost always an underline of ho mo se x uality or se xual per version of some sort. They don't do this in the name of Jes us ch rist.

June 23, 2012 at 8:06 am |

Ralph

This discourse is about religion. The largest ped ring in history where the leader has covered it up. If you chose to "believe" the people who demand your money or tell your children they will burn in h3ll if they don't follow your own opinions, and above all, if you have no respect or hope for yourself without a skydaddy and you have that desire to shove that down other peoples throats, then you are not smarter than a fifth grader

June 23, 2012 at 8:26 am |

Conor

Poor Poor Ralph. Lor d Jes us please enter into Ralph's heart and soften it. Allow him to come to know You and Your glory.

Couldn't she just show up to church one day if she really wanted to go to church? She really has to go through an indoctrination? Wonder what Jesus would say about that.

Having been raised a Roman Catholic child as a youth and having since found more Christian ways, I would strongly urge this woman to consider alternate ways to follow the true meaning of being a good Christian – being kind and compassionate and respectful and generous and empathetic and so forth – than to registering her political affiliation to the Roman Catholic church.

Or! Maybe! Once on the inside, she plans to start melting down all the gold and so forth and using the money to help feed the hungry as I am pretty sure that Jesus would not be happy with the glittering shrines.

June 23, 2012 at 7:07 am |

Judy

Then she wouldn't have the fullness of truth and authority of Christ's Church, that one whose authority you rely upon anytime you read the Bible that determined what books belong in it.

June 23, 2012 at 7:27 am |

Ralph

Judy, the only authority any church has ever had is to take your money and bugger your boys. How could you let them have any authority over anything\?

June 23, 2012 at 7:32 am |

Conor

There is one true church. It is funny how real Jesus is and how He works. Last night at a work party this exact comment came up about how when they visited the Vatican they were disgusted by by how much money they have and why they don't sell it and feed the poor. I didn't have the answer at the moment but after a conversation with my dad he was able to tell me a few things. And as I wake this morning I am able to defend my faith right here. So...
Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 5“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” 6Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. 7Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8“For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

Also to go along with this... “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

So josephavellino if you choose to follow JUST the bible you will still see why we have beautiful churches to glorify God.

June 23, 2012 at 7:44 am |

Ralph

Mr Connor,

You are corredt, it is immensly funny how jesus works, typically it is how YOU want it to be. It is ONLY YOUR OWN OPINION. Out of 6+ billion people in the world, why should you be the only one privy to this information?

I confess, this is the first time I have ever read your work, but it seems as if you are converting to a philosophy, not embracing a religion. Deeply religious people, and they are a small minority in every congregation, have a personal relationship with a God they feel is as present in the church as the next person in the pew. Belief in a personal God is a lot different from arriving at a philosophical conclusion. Indeed, trying to turn a religious belief into a philosophical argument is a problem that has vexed the faithful since Thomas Aquinas. Religion ultimately is based on faith, not philosophy.

June 23, 2012 at 7:01 am |

harold

Well said, Harry.

June 23, 2012 at 7:31 am |

slickteigkcmo

praise be to our Lord, Jesus Christ, may you have peace and joy for ever. Hallelulia 🙂 may all peoples know the love of God and spread the word of HOPE, FAITH, and LOVE. You will have joy and purpose beyond all belief, yeah!!! God bless you and all peoples of our Father. Spread the word of His Love, you wil be so blessed, yeah!!!!! I promise you this is the truth, the and the way and the light for all peoples, amen!!!! I too am Catholic but Christian first, follower of Jesus first!!!!!

June 23, 2012 at 6:59 am |

TruthPrevails :-)

praising your imaginary friend on an internet blog is useless...he doesn't exist and if he did he certainly wouldn't be paying attention to this site...he's too busy allowing the catholic cult of peds to get away with harming children

June 23, 2012 at 7:06 am |

dave

You know you have physiological problems right? Do you believe world has been created 6000 years ago? Do you believe Adam and Eve was first living beings on earth and no other life existed before them say like dinosaurs? If you don't why do you believe in such a silly book filled with stupid lies?

June 23, 2012 at 7:14 am |

Ralph

TruthPrevails 🙂
And don't forget the hundreds of years of Inquisition, torture, murder, theft etc, the list goes on and on....so much for morality

June 23, 2012 at 7:26 am |

Ralph

Sounds like a man made operation

June 23, 2012 at 7:28 am |

Awesome

Now she found the truth she has been searching for in her life. A true joy and happiness both themporal and spiritual.

I wish each and everyone of us will allow ourselves the chance and opportunity to have the same experience.

June 23, 2012 at 6:54 am |

jemzinthekop

Yes now she can babble mindlessly about talking snakes, talking fiery bushes, big boats that held 250,000 species of beetle along with wooly mammoths and snow leopards, guys that floated into the clouds in front of everyone (yet somehow the Jews and Arabs still just don't buy that he was the saviour), parted water/wine to water/walking on water/healing water, food from the sky.... oh yeah... and systematic misogyny, centuries of oppression, ethnic and spiritual cleansing and all the other mythological drivel that makes religion as legit as Jack and the Beanstock or Gulliver's Travels. 1 non-believer changes sides and it gets national media.... if it was the other way, all news papers would be filled for the next thousand years as the great awakening continues and millions shed the shackles of the fantasy land of religion.

June 23, 2012 at 7:05 am |

Sarah Stroud

I love to hear about when Jesus finds the lost, but also love it when He really sticks it to the devil. Jesus 1, devil zero! Praise God!!!

June 23, 2012 at 6:54 am |

TruthPrevails :-)

Weak minded 1, strong minded 0

Jesus didn't find her, jesus if he existed at all is quite dead. Jesus never came back from the dead...science proves that no-one can and if you're too dumb to understand this you need to go back to grade 5.

June 23, 2012 at 7:04 am |

just sayin

The angels in heaven rejoice when a sinner comes to Christ, apparently the demons complain at grade 5 level. God bless

June 23, 2012 at 7:26 am |

Ricardo Williams

The problem with converting from being n Atheist to a Catholic is that your views will never match up to the Catholic doctrines and then you will either become an outcast Christian who hangs around Catholics. You may sometimes feel like a hypocrite. They may see you as demon possessed because your views will be seen as radical to the Catholics. Hopefully you will find your strength in your personal journey with Christ in quiet meditation and you will keep him with you throughout your day guiding your actions with love, peace, and kindness.
I'm a Christian, but I recognize the bible is like a history book that is not necessary true or accurate. It is written from the perspective of the writers. It is important to know the history of your religion so that you can meet the challenges of the future.

June 23, 2012 at 6:53 am |

Dave Thrush

I find it interesting that so many atheists responding here are so interested in her changing to believe in God. I mean..If you were truly and atheist..why would you care? Something must be bugging you all...

What's bugging us is that it shows that theists are not the only ones who can be taken in by myths, lies, and delusional ravings. Those things don;t bother you, do they?

June 23, 2012 at 6:51 am |

libfreak48

I find it interesting that that Christians view atheists as enemies when my Bible say to love everyone. Perhaps it's a misprint...

June 23, 2012 at 6:53 am |

TruthPrevails :-)

We care because she gave up reason and logic for fantasy and wrongly defined herself as an Atheist (she might have been a weak Atheist but she was not a strong one or she's never have given up reality).

June 23, 2012 at 6:57 am |

selfevolved

She gives real Atheists a bad name, if she ever was really an Atheist in the first place. I wonder if she's some religious wing nut who planned this out from the beginning and her entire Atheist "career" was a ruse.

June 23, 2012 at 7:02 am |

JWT

Atheists have a strong interest in the religious – new atheists are interested in converting those that believe in fairy tales to non-believers and others of us well have an interest in the groups that are into telling us we are not real people.

June 23, 2012 at 7:30 am |

harold

there is something bugging us, Dave. It's the fact any supposedly rational adult could be so muddle headed as to go around making public pronouncements of their world view and then one day just flip-flop 180 degrees, continue with the pulic discourse and expect to be taken seriously – and knowing that this person actually will be taken seriously – that's bugging us as well. Since this girl is converting to Catholicism, lets think about confession. I confess to you, Dave that the fact that their are so many people on this planet who can't grasp the simplest concepts of logic and apparently are just fine with that, has me feeling a little miffed.

June 23, 2012 at 7:52 am |

Scott

I've lost track of how many times I need to say "No True Scotsman" here...

The proper object of the Intellect is truth. The Intellect lights up when it finds the truth. A major obstacle is the Will that distorts and tends to block the path to the attainment of the truth. As atheists allow their Will to avoid posing obstacles to the Intellect, there will be more conversations. Congratulations Leah! You've shown a great example of the right exercise of the Will with total freedom.

June 23, 2012 at 6:44 am |

cosmicsnoop

I have no idea what you are saying, but I believe totally different, I think. The one and only reason we are here is to kill the ego and live as spirits in a body. Right now most people are living according to their ego, which is a small, petty thing that must be squashed in order to evolve. The will, as you call it, or discipline, is what's necessary to reign in the ego. So, again, I don't know what you are saying, but I don't agree, which proves you don't know the truth and it's just your ego thinking you do, kill it.

June 23, 2012 at 7:34 am |

Colin

This morning there was a knock at my door. When I answered the door I found a well groomed, nicely dressed couple. The man spoke first:

John: "Hi! I'm John, and this is Mary."

Mary: "Hi! We're here to invite you to come kiss Hank's ass with us."

Me: "Pardon me?! What are you talking about? Who's Hank, and why would I want to kiss His ass?"

John: "If you kiss Hank's ass, He'll give you a million dollars; and if you don't, He'll kick the guts out of you."

Me: "What? Is this some sort of bizarre mob shake-down?"

John: "Hank is a billionaire philanthropist. Hank built this town. Hank owns this town. He can do whatever He wants, and what He wants is to give you a million dollars, but He can't until you kiss His ass."

Me: "That doesn't make any sense. Why..."

Mary: "Who are you to question Hank's gift? Don't you want a million dollars? Isn't it worth a little kiss on the ass?"

Me: "Well maybe, if it's legit, but..."

John: "Then come kiss Hank's ass with us."

Me: "Do you kiss Hank's ass often?"

Mary: "Oh yes, all the time..."

Me: "And has He given you a million dollars?"

John: "Well no. You don't actually get the money until you leave town."

Me: "So why don't you just leave town now?"

Mary: "You can't leave until Hank tells you to, or you don't get the money, and He kicks the guts
out of you."

Me: "Do you know anyone who kissed Hank's ass, left town, and got the million dollars?"

John: "My mother kissed Hank's ass for years. She left town last year, and I'm sure she got the money."

Me: "Haven't you talked to her since then?"

John: "Of course not, Hank doesn't allow it."

Me: "So what makes you think He'll actually give you the money if you've never talked to anyone who got the money?"

Mary: "Well, He gives you a little bit before you leave. Maybe you'll get a raise, maybe you'll win a small lotto, maybe you'll just find a twenty-dollar bill on the street."

Me: "What's that got to do with Hank?"

John: "Hank has certain 'connections.'"

Me: "I'm sorry, but this sounds like some sort of bizarre con game."

John: "But it's a million dollars, can you really take the chance? And remember, if you don't kiss Hank's ass He'll kick the guts out of you."

Me: "Maybe if I could see Hank, talk to Him, get the details straight from Him..."

Mary: "No one sees Hank, no one talks to Hank."

Me: "Then how do you kiss His ass?"

John: "Sometimes we just blow Him a kiss, and think of His ass. Other times we kiss Karl's ass, and he passes it on."

Me: "Who's Karl?"

Mary: "A friend of ours. He's the one who taught us all about kissing Hank's ass. All we had to do was take him out to dinner a few times."

Me: "And you just took his word for it when he said there was a Hank, that Hank wanted you to kiss His ass, and that Hank would reward you?"

John: "Oh no! Karl has a letter he got from Hank years ago explaining the whole thing. Here's a copy; see for yourself."

From the Desk of Karl
1. Kiss Hank's ass and He'll give you a million dollars when you leave town.
2. Use alcohol in moderation.
3. Kick the guts out of people who aren't like you.
4. Eat right.
5. Hank dictated this list Himself.
6. The moon is made of green cheese.
7. Everything Hank says is right.
8. Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.
9. Don't use alcohol.
10. Eat your wieners on buns, no condiments.
11. Kiss Hank's ass or He'll kick the guts out of you.

Me: "This appears to be written on Karl's letterhead." vein

Mary: "Hank didn't have any paper."

Me: "I have a hunch that if we checked we'd find this is Karl's handwriting."

John: "Of course, Hank dictated it."

Me: "I thought you said no one gets to see Hank?"

Mary: "Not now, but years ago He would talk to some people."

Me: "I thought you said He was a philanthropist. What sort of philanthropist kicks the guts out of people just because they're different?"

Me: "But 9 says 'Don't use alcohol.' which doesn't quite go with item 2, and 6 says 'The moon is made of green cheese,' which is just plain wrong."

John: "There's no contradiction between 9 and 2, 9 just clarifies 2. As far as 6 goes, you've never been to the moon, so you can't say for sure."

Me: "Scientists have pretty firmly established that the moon is made of rock..."

Mary: "But they don't know if the rock came from the Earth, or from out of space, so it could just as easily be green cheese."

Me: "I'm not really an expert, but I think the theory that the Moon was somehow 'captured' by the Earth has been discounted*. Besides, not knowing where the rock came from doesn't make it cheese."

John: "Ha! You just admitted that scientists make mistakes, but we know Hank is always right!"

Me: "We do?"

Mary: "Of course we do, Item 7 says so."

Me: "You're saying Hank's always right because the list says so, the list is right because Hank dictated it, and we know that Hank dictated it because the list says so. That's circular logic, no different than saying 'Hank's right because He says He's right.'"

John: "Now you're getting it! It's so rewarding to see someone come around to Hank's way of thinking."

John: "That's disgusting. Only some sort of evil deviant would eat that..."

Me: "It's good! I eat it all the time."

Mary: She faints.

John: He catches Mary. "Well, if I'd known you were one of those I wouldn't have wasted my time. When Hank kicks the guts out of you I'll be there, counting my money and laughing. I'll kiss Hank's ass for you, you bunless cut-wienered kraut-eater."

With this, John dragged Mary to their waiting car, and sped off.

from Jhuger.com.

June 23, 2012 at 6:44 am |

.....

BULL SH IT ALERT

June 23, 2012 at 7:24 am |

Mark Taylor

How many times are you going to post this? Why does someone else's beliefs get so much under your skin? You're free to believe whatever you like. So are people of faith.

June 23, 2012 at 7:26 am |

The dude

Haven't seen that before. Nice one.

June 23, 2012 at 7:53 am |

Ey, dude!

You must be new here, welcome!

June 23, 2012 at 10:41 pm |

Copenhagun

To each his or her own. However, I question this ability to rationalize and make sound judgements, ie Kirk Cameron when going away from what they believe is atheism. I however, do not believe they were ever strong atheists at all, merely people looking for a path of some sort, which I understand, because that's how I became an atheist, just swapped the other way around. As a former christian, I realize that once I unlocked the door and went through it, there is no turning back to religion. That being said, I'm all for people doing what they have to do to be comfortable in their own skin. Also, if this person is so damn popular, why have I not heard of her? Matt Dillahaunty on the other hand of The Atheist Experience of Austin, I've heard of. If he converts BACK into Christianity, I'll consider caring because he's freaking awesome, otherwise, I don't care.

June 23, 2012 at 6:33 am |

Copenhagun

I apologize for the typos, it's early.

June 23, 2012 at 6:35 am |

Matthew

Cool PR stunt bro!

June 23, 2012 at 6:17 am |

Mark

The first thing i thought about this was troll detected.

June 23, 2012 at 6:39 am |

Leif

As a fellow atheist, I say God bless her. Some of the best Christians I know don't believe in God.

June 23, 2012 at 6:09 am |

Allen

There is no atheist. Romans Chapter 1

June 23, 2012 at 6:17 am |

TruthPrevails :-)

Allen: By that same context there is no theist. The buybull does not use the word atheist anywhere.
To help you understand: theist holds a belief in god; atheist means disbelief. Posting scripture proves nothing more than the fact that you are no capable of thinking for yourself...btw: those scriptures are 2000 years old...severely outdated material-you might wish to try living in the 21st century.

June 23, 2012 at 7:10 am |

Prayer for the country

God keep our land – prayer from the Canadian national anthem. Perverted by liar prevails a self righteous, hate filled bigot that attempts to impress others outside of its nation that it is intelligent and worthy to be heard. Be warned if it had any relevance it would be heard in its own country , it is not.

June 23, 2012 at 7:16 am |

TruthPrevails :-)

You can keep posting that but it does not prove a damn thing outside of the fact that you really are braindead. The stats speak for themselves and that anthem (that once again we do not sing daily) is outdated, just like your imaginary friend. This is my country and we see everywhere we go how Secular it really is...we are not fighting over frivolous religitard issues within our government...we know they have no place there!

Now I am theist oh Aaaaah nope I am atheist depends on where the wind blows today. Good luck you now have your 15 minutes of fame. When is your next move to convert to Islam.

June 23, 2012 at 5:50 am |

Atheism is not healthy for children and other living things

Prayer changes things ,

June 23, 2012 at 5:47 am |

Krug Lamner

Sure wish prayer would change things for those kids starving in Africa.

June 23, 2012 at 6:00 am |

truth be told

Helping the starving is our responsibility. Help some yourself instead of misunderstanding the importance and place of talking with God

June 23, 2012 at 6:17 am |

Copenhagun

Your GOD murders everything, and will murder you. Religion is a lie. – Former Christian

June 23, 2012 at 6:27 am |

Mirosal

Talking to "god" is a sure sign of a weak mind and insecure being.

June 23, 2012 at 6:31 am |

MuyGuapo

Don't worry Krug. Christians will be there to help feed the starving in Africa, not the atheists.

June 23, 2012 at 6:38 am |

Mark Taylor

I don't deny the prayer changes things but so does rolling up your sleeves and getting involved; in fact the book of James is pretty darn clear that it's up to us to work to help the less fortunate of this world.

June 23, 2012 at 6:58 am |

Mark Taylor

"Talking to "god" is a sure sign of a weak mind and insecure being."

Oh Really? Because, you know I have a pretty strong mind, very well read on subjects of Cosmology, Philosophy, Theology. I'm a project manager who leads a large virtual team of individuals around the world to accomplish very specific business goals. I'm a musician with a reasonably large ego for my musical prowess. I'm a pretty good looking guy. I talk to God many times a day. It actually takes a certain amount of courage to believe in something that cannot be seen directly.

June 23, 2012 at 7:04 am |

TruthPrevails :-)

MuyGuapo: Atheists do plenty of charity work...Doctors without Borders is Secular as is UNICEF (something that really does benefit those children). We do it because it is the right thing to do, christards do it to convert.

June 23, 2012 at 7:16 am |

Mirosal

No, it takes a certain amount of gullibility to talk to something that is only one of thousands of "things" that has BEVER, EVER been shown to actually exist. Whatever results you're expecting from prayer would be the exact same if you prayed to Odin, or Ra, or Zeus, or even the sun, and we all know the sun is really there. I am confident in my own abilities, and do not need any kind of "reas'surance" from some mystical magical deity. You'll readily discard Odin, Ra, and Zeus, and when you realize why you have, you'll know why your "god" is so easy to dismiss as well.

June 23, 2012 at 7:18 am |

Prayer for the country

God keep our land, prayer offered through the Canadian national anthem. Opinion of liar prevails neither needed or wanted, here or apparently there.

June 23, 2012 at 7:19 am |

Atheism is not healthy for children and other living things

Prayer changes things
Proven effective and
Powerful

June 23, 2012 at 7:23 am |

TruthPrevails :-)

@Prayer: I know that freedom of speech means nothing to you...you might wish to return to grade school little one...children's opinions (especially when those children have imaginary friends) do not belong on an adult blog. Run along now little one...the sandbox is filling up.

June 23, 2012 at 7:24 am |

fwat

christians are so derp

June 23, 2012 at 7:24 am |

Akenzua

Who said it does'nt, I was born with nothing, as an african child and with prayers I was made somebody.... Prayer is the key, have you being to africa? what do you understand by starving?-cnn reports? A prayerful african child is wahooo happy and sees a great future though born in the youngest of continents and the most trying times of the african continent still strugling with its given and herited (mostly false) foundationbut God has given us victory

June 23, 2012 at 7:24 am |

Mirosal

Prayer wastes time that is better spent doing something constructive and productive .. proven .. 2 hands at work do more than 1000 hands clasped in rayer .. proven countless times

June 23, 2012 at 7:26 am |

truth be told

Two hands working without a plan are totally useless. Talking with God provides the plan. Good men pray great men act on prayer.

June 23, 2012 at 7:38 am |

truth be told

liar prevails must be the primary resident of the sandbox if it sees it filling up.

June 23, 2012 at 7:39 am |

Mirosal

You do not need any kind of "god" or deity to have a plan ... you see a wrong, you work to make it right .. no "god" needed at all.

June 23, 2012 at 7:54 am |

Sahari

People who seek God, and/or the Truth, and/or answers to life's universal questions, do NOT need to choose between religions! At best, religions can be doorways to undertake such a journey, but too often people treat religions as rooms that they must live in for their lives! Common sense tells us that the 'All That Is' (pick a name!) operates just fine with or without our awareness. The awareness that we as souls seek certainly transcends our limited sense of dimension!! If you want to use religion to get a start, great! But camping out there for life is just switching addictions. Set yourselves free by dedicating yourself to clearing your heart of fear and judgement - and while it is useful to live by rules, it is also useful to recognize when it is time to discard them for a newer, higher, set of truths. Get ready to have your boat rocked, 'cause what we think is reality is but a dream! Ask yourself: do you want to see the Truth, or do you want to find a Truth you are comfortable with seeing? There is a vast difference between the two!

The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.